Lighter



`Patented Oct. 5, 1937 oFFIcE LIGHTER George Philip SchmittrNew York, N. Y., assignor to Vestalite Corporation, New York, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application November 9,

. 17 Claims.

` This invention relates to improvements in automatic or naming lighters employing a catalyst as the igniting medium and a Wick to carry Vaporizable fuel to coact with the catalyst to produce the flame. Y v f One of the disadvantages in present lighters of this type is they diculty to replace the catalyst unit. This requires usually the return of the whole lighter tothe factory forfsuch repairs, as the said unit is too frail to handle vwithout the use ofspeci'al equipment.

It is known that water' results from the chemical action of vaporizable fuel, such as for example, methanol vaporand air in the presence of a 'l platinum catalyst. A

In the present types of catalytic lighters, in the event that the catalyst is not completely separated from the fueland air, there is atendency for the wick or other fuel absorbent material to become saturated with Water due to the catalytic action. Although in some such devices, means have been provided to separate theV catalyst from the fuel, such means are not always properly employed by the user, with lthe result that the water brought i about by the above-stated chemical action hinders ignition or'fl'aming of thelighter.

In the event that water has formed in the Combustion zone, that is,'tl1ezc` n'eV surrounding the catalyst, it has been vfound thatsuch water can readily be replaced by the fue1,1if the'lighter is n lled from the top. In order that the lighter can conveniently be lled from the top, means must be provided to remove .the catalyst unit before filling, otherwise the fuel while lling, will ignite and create a hazard.

It is an object of this invention to provide a lighter iillable from the top instead-of the bottom as now common .with lighters employing a catalyst. i

It is another object of'this invention to produce an automatic lighter employing a catalyst, .which catalyst'can easily be removed and replaced, as for instance, when impaired due to'abuse or mishandling. Y

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of means associated with said catalyst for shielding or protecting the same against damage while refilling.

A further object of this invention resides in the n provision of means in an automatic lighter utilizing a catalyst, whereby the catalyst unit can be removed together with the cover for filling or replacement purposes thereby protecting the user against unforseen lighting of the' vapors.Y

Afurthergobject o'f Ythisinventionresidesv in the 1935, serial no. 49,016 y (c1. sv-'u' e provision of means whereby the cover and the catalyst unit may be removed separately, if desired, asfor example, for the replacement of the catalyst unit, or for relling.

1 A further object of this invention resides in the provision of a rigid and preferably removable l platform upon which the catalyst unit is mounted.

These advantageous features and further objects are accomplished by the novel and practical construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter disclosed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, constituting a part of the disclosure, and in which: 1

Fig. l is a vertical sectionalview of a lighter embodying the invention. i

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of 'a locking element employable in the invention, but reduced in size.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the locking element shown in Fig. 2, but reduced in size.

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of a platform.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational View, partly in section, of the platform.

Fig. 6 is a development of a wick employed in the device but reduced in size.

Fig. 7 is aside elevational view of a complet lighter embodying the invention.

Fig. 8 is al sectional View of the upper part of a lighter embodying the invention in a modified form.

An example of a lighter embodying the inven.

tion has a bottom-housing or casing |00 disclosed in tubular form within Which and extending thereabove is located a tubular shell |02. The closure or cover |0| slidably fits over the top portion of shell |02. A shell |02`isyinteriorly lined with an absorbent sleeve or wick |03 which extends to' or near the top of the shell and has slots |04 which clear the bridge portion |05 of platform or partition |06.

Wick |03 is preferably made of sheet asbestos, although cloth or blotting paper may be employed, but it will be found that the wick will not char if made of asbestos material or 'com-Y near the top 28. The platform or partition |06 has two downward vdisposed.'v lugsv |01 provided with holes |08 which register with projections I8 provided on shell |02. 'Ihis arrangement secures the platform or partition |06 within shell |02, and in such a manner, that it will not remove 5 unpremeditatedly or accidently but only when desired, as for instance, when it Yis the intention to dismantle the parts for repair. The central portion of platform |06 is provided with a downwardly-extending annular ange |09 having a 10 threaded portion I I0 for threaded engagement with the head portion |26 of a screw member having an upwardly-extending threaded shank |21.

Fig. 4 shows the platform |06 with the two l5 bent bridge ends |05, but in Fig. 1 for sake of clarication only the left bridge end |05 is shown in sectional View taken along line A-A of Fig. 4, so that the other bridge enddoes not appear.

Shank |21 is secured to and projects through the base |28 of a locking member orclarnp( ||I which normally rests on platform |06. Member II is provided with a plurality of spaced resilient prongs, tongues or fingers |I2 (four being shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings), projecting up- 25 wardly from base |28, the prongs being provided with shoulders or ridges |I3 formed by bending the material. Intermediate the prongs |I2 the base may be upturned as indicated at IIS. Located on the base |28 is a resilient element such 30 as a washer IIll, having a central perforation through which the shank |21 extends. Support 2,6 carrying the catalyst is secured to shank |21 above washer I I4. The thimble or cap or tubular element ||6 is secured to cover |0| by a rivet or eyelet I1, the fastening being preferably done so as to provide at the same time a vent I1. Ellement I I6Y is provided with an annular ridge IIS, which lockingly engages prongs |I2 at or in the vicinity of their ridges IIS when the cover or closure I0| is positioned on the casing |00. As a precaution against possible failure of the cooperating, interlocking ridges II3, I I8, to function in keeping the cover locked, while the lighter is not in use, an auxiliary ridge ||1 is provided on cap I |6 which is shown as being located below ridge ||8. The cap ||6 encloses the catalyst-unit when the device is not in use, the bottom portion resting against the washer` II4. The inside top portion of cover I0! is provided with a resilient gasket 3| to prevent the escape of vapors from that end. Wick |03 may-be provided with a plurality of slots |04, the number of which is determined by the number of lugs |01 in platform |06, to facilitate assembly as when the wick Vis inserted from the top of the device. Within the lower portion of wick |03 is located the packing or absorbent material I3, which may be Wool, cotton, felt, or other suitable material, by which the vaporizable fuel is stored to be carried by wick |03 by capillary action for coaction with the catalyst to produce the incandescence and flame. In the lower part of housing |00 a 'gasket or washer I4 is located, against which shell |02 is made to rest to prevent any vapor fuel escaping between the inner wallV of housing |00 and shell |02; The ring projection 34 of shell |02 is for decorative purposes only.

To ll this type of lighter, cover |0| is rotated to unscrew head |26 from platform |06. To prevent possible rotating of cap H6 with relation to prongs I|2, during the unscrewing operation, to assure the clamp III carrying the catalyst and the cover IOI being removed as a unit forV filling purposes, a head, stop or abutment II1, shown located on ridge II1, is provided. When it is desired to ll the lighter with the vaporizable fuel, the cover I0| is turned relatively to casing |00 by which act the head portion |26 of the screw member threadedly disengages from the flange portion |09 of platformlll. The catalyst unit together with the cover is thus Separated from the body of the lighter. The lighter may now be filled through the top opening which has been exposed by the simultaneous removal of the cover and catalyst unit, by inserting the 10 same in a container holding the fuel or the fuel may be poured into the lighter through the said exposed top opening. By reason of the fact that during the lling operation the catalyst is removed from the body of the lighter, a dangerous 15 hazard is eliminated by preventing accidental ig- Y nition, of the fuel. After the lighter has been filled, the cover |0| is replaced on the body or casing |00 and turned relatively thereto in a. direction opposite to that required to remove the 20 same, whereby head portion |26 will threadedly engage platform |06.

To use therlighter, cover |0I is pulled away from the casing |00, by which act the cooperating locking ridges on the cap and clamp disch-25 gage from each other thereby exposing the catalyst for use. Only the cover and its attached thimble I I6 is thus removed admitting fuel vapor yand air to the catalyst which causes the latter to Vfunction and to ignite the vapor to produce a 30Y arne to light cigarettes, pipes and cigars. The flame is extinguished by replacing the cover upon the body of the lighter. If it is desired to remove the catalyst unit for repair or for replacement, cover I0| is turned unscrewing head 35 portion |26 from platform |06 as for refilling with fuel; the clamp or member III may be held with the fingers of a hand or with a suitable instrument anda lineal pull relatively exerted on the cover and clamp whereby the ridges on the 40 cap and clamp disengage and the catalyst unit separates from the cover.

Since platform |06 is removably secured to shell |02 by engagement of lugs |01 with projections I8, replacement of the parts in the body or 45 casing |00 therebelow may be readily accomplished. It is Vunderstood that the parts are so designed that when the cover is pulled from the body of the lighter, the thimble or cap I I6 will separate from member III only, and not the 50 platform |06 from the shell |02. Platform |06 is made of rigid material to effectively support the parts carried thereby.

In Fig. 15, the'cap |22 is shown as being provided with the resilient prongs |23, and the clamp 55 |26 with a solid side wall or rim I2I, disengagement between the cap and clamp being made in the same manner as described above, namely, by pulling the cover away from the casing. Cap |22 has at its lower end the ridges |25 adapted G0 for engagement with ridge |24 on rim I2I.

In the forms shown in Figs. 1 and 8 a lineal pull of the cover permits removal of same to ignite the Wick while rotary movement of the cover permits removal of the catalytic element 65 and supporting member for filling of the fuel chamber.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated the invention embodied in some of its practical commercial forms but as these illus- 70 trations are primarily for purposes of disclosure it will be understood that the invention is not limited to these particular forms of structure and that it may be modified in many respects without departure from the true spirit and scope of the 75.

invention asherei'n defined and claimed. 1 Wish` it further understood that the terms'which Ihave employedherein are used'in a descriptive rather than in a limiting sense, except however, for such limitations that may be'imposed bythe state ofthe prior art..

Having thus! described my invention what Iv claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentg'is: Y

V1.1A lighter comprising a casing, absorbent material which may be charged with vaporizable fuel contained in said casing, a cylindrical shell withintheY casing and extending thereabove, a

platform. having a threaded center opening, cooperating means on said shell and said platform holding said platform in position, amemberhavingl a base'. and upwardly-extending spring and' said tonguesy being provided with interlocking ridges for retaining said cover on said casing.`

2.V A; lighter comprising a casing, absorbent material which may becharged with vaporizable fuelcontained in said casing, a cylindrical shell f within the casing and `extending thereabove, a

platform attached'to said shell and having a threaded opening in its center, a member seated on said platform, a catalyst unit, means securing said unit to said member, said means including a part in threaded engagement with the threaded opening of said platform, a cover for said casing, absorbent material surrounding said unit in spaced relation therewith, a tubular element within said cover for encircling said unit and interposable between said unit and said material, said element and said member arranged for relative slidable engagement, and interlocking ridges associated with said element and said member for retaining said cover on said casing.

3. A lighter comprising a casing, a platform in the casing `and having Va threaded central opening, a member'seatable on said platform, a catalyst unit, means securing said unit to said member, said means including a part in threaded engagement with'the threaded opening of said platform, a cover for said casing, absorbent material surrounding said unit'in spaced relation therewith, a tubular element within said cover for encircling said unit and interposable between said unit and said material, and cooperating means carried by said element and said member for detachably securing the former tothe latter.

4. A Ylighter comprising a casing, a platform in the casing and having a threaded central opening, a member seatable on said platform, a

catalyst unit, means securing said unit to said member, said means including a part in .threaded ,engagement with the threaded opening of said platform, a cover for said casing, absorbent material surrounding said unit in spaced relation f therewith, a tubular element within and secured to said cover for encircling said unit and interposable between said unit and said material, and cooperating ridges onsaid element and said member-for resiliently interlocking said element and said member. Y

5. A lighter comprising a casing, a platform in the casing and having a threaded central opening,V amember seatable on saidplatform, a catalyst unit, means securing -said unit to. said member, said means including a part in threadedA engagementv with the threaded Vopening, of said platform, a cover for said casing, absorbent material surrounding said unit in spaced'relationV therewith, a tubular element within and secured;

member, said means including a part in threadedV engagement with the threaded opening of saidplatform, a cover for said casing, absorbent ma- -Y terialV surrounding said unit in spaced relation therewith, a tubular element within and secured to said cover for encircling said unit and interposable between ,said unitV and saidrmaterial, cooperating ridges on said elementA and said member for resiliently interlocking said element '7. A lighter comprising a casir,1. 2,f,.;a'platformv inV the casing and having a threadedl central" opening, a member seatableon said platform,r

a rcatalyst unit, means securing said unit to saidA member, said means including a part in threaded engagement with the threaded opening of saidY platform, a cover for said casing, absorbent material surrounding saidunit in spaced relation therewith, a tubular element Within and secured to said cover for encircling said unit and interposable between said unit and said material, and interlocking ridges associated with said element and said member for resiliently retainingsaid cover on said casing.

8. In a lighter a casing, a support in the casing and having a threaded opening, a catalyst element, carrying means for said catalyst, means for removably securing said carrying means to said support, said means being in threaded engagement with the threaded opening of said support, a cover for said casing, a tubular member secured to said cover and encircling said element, and interengaging ridges associated with said member and said element for resilientl ly retaining said cover on said casing.

9. In a lighter a casing, a support in the casing and having a threaded opening, a catalyst element, carrying means for said catalyst, means for removably securing said carrying means to said support, said means being in threaded en-V gagement with the threaded opening of said support, a cover for said casing, a tubular member secured to said cover and encircling said element, interengaging ridges associated with said member and said element for resiliently retaining said cover on said casing, and means v,to retain said element against rotation with respect to said member.

10. A lighter comprising a casing, a platform in the casing, and having a threaded opening,

a member seatable on said platform, a catalystl 11. A'; lighter comprising a casing, a platform in the casing, a member seatable on said'plat- Y form, a catalyst secured to-saidmember, means removably engaging said member with said p1at formVacover for'said'casing, a cap for said catalyst and cooperating ridges on said cap and a cap for said catalyst, and cooperating ridges on Y said cap and said member for resiliently interlocking said cap and said member.

13. In a cigarette lighter,'a'cover, a Wick, a casing forthe Wick, a catalytic element adjacent said wick,"said element serving to ignite the vapors of fuel with which the Wick is supported, and means to shut olf ignition between Vthe Wick and catalytic element, said means comprising a connection located in the path of vapors between the Wick and catalytic element and releasable by a lineal pull between the cover and the catalytic element. Y -Y 1114. In a cigarette lighter, a casing open at one end and having a fuel chamber at its other end, a wick lining the Wall of said casing, Ya catalytic element, a member supporting said element, a base in the casing, a cover, means releasable by a lineal pull for holding said cover in engagement with said member to shut off communication betWe'ensaid wickfand said 'catalytic element', andV means on said member having threaded engage-Y ment With said base, and whereby'a lineal pull of said cover permits removal of same to ignite the Wick While rotary movement of the cover permits removal of the catalytic element and supporting member for illing of the fuel chamber.

15. In a cigarette lighter, a casing having a fuel chamber, a Wick, a support, a catalytic ignition element mountedon said support, a cover, a connection releasable by a lineal pull between said support and said cover, and a threaded connection between said support and said casing.

16. In a cigarette lighter, a casing having a fuel chamber therein, a Wick receiving fuel from the` "chamber, a catalytic element for igniting the Wick, a cover for said casing, means releasable by lineal movement of the cover connecting Ysaid cover and casing, and means releasableby rotation `of the cover connecting said catalytic element and casing. A

Y 17. In alighter, a casing having a fuel chamber therein, a support, a Wick in said casing receiving fuel from the chamber, a catalytic element for '.gniting the Wick, a cover for said casing, means'r'eleasable by lineal movement ofV said cover connecting said cover and said support, said means including means to prevent rotation of said support with respect to said cover, and means releasable by rotation of said cover connectingsaid support and said casing.

GEORGE' PHILIP SCHMITT. 

